OSHA Inspection: REIMERS WELL DRILLING LLC

Issued

Feb 21, 2020

Abate by

Apr 8, 2020

Penalty

Initial $4,048 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees:    Employees are exposed to potential permanent disabling injuries such as but not limited to broken bones, paralysis, and or death as a result of a struck-by hazard of using a Cadillac Little Mule come-along to retract an extended derrick boom into its housing. The Cadillac Little Mule under tension came apart, striking an employee in the head who sustained fatal injuries. This was most recently documented at 501 South Street, Valentine, Nebraska 69201 on October 28, 2019.        AMONG OTHER METHODS, FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHODS TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD ARE:          1)         Develop a method to work on a derrick boom that is extended and under pressure.       2)         Train employees to recognize the dangers of using come along devices and to evaluate any hazards in regard to the use of the come along device when performing a task.      3)         Develop a process to retract derrick booms when in the shop without using a come along device.    4)         Use devices that have the appropriate load ratings when performing work under a load.

Issued

Feb 21, 2020

Abate by

Apr 8, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,313 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1):  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employees ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:                                                                                           Employees are exposed to hazards associated with the use of respirators when working with hazardous chemicals. This was most recently documented at 501 South Street, Valentine, Nebraska 69201 on October 28, 2019.  The employer did not ensure that employees who wore 3M half-face respirators were medically evaluated prior to its use.

Issued

Feb 21, 2020

Abate by

Apr 8, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,313 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1):  The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):                                                                                           Employees are exposed to hazards associated with the use of respirators when working with hazardous chemicals. This was most recently documented at 501 South Street, Valentine, Nebraska 69201 on October 28, 2019.  The employer did not ensure that employees who wore 3M half-face respirators passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT).